.357 with NOE 360-182-WFN

[Rick R]

As usual I get an email from NOE “XX% Off! Limited Offer!”.
First I think I don’t need any more molds.
Then I peruse Al’s website.
Then I find something I’ve been curious about.
Then USPS is delivering a package up here to Chateau Despair, high atop Mt. Doom.

I recently bought the 182gr WFN .360” mold with intent to shoot them out of my 6” Security Six and 4” GP100, possibly at deers’s during the season.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/shop/bullet-moulds/358/360-182-wfn-u2/360-182-wfn-u2-4-cavity-pb/?attribute_pa_dfp=dni-dfp&attribute_pa_mw-sl=dni-mwandsl

I cast about 100 today out of a mix of range lead and COWW, air cooled. It took three tries and the 4 cavity was spitting out dozens of nice looking boolits with little work on my part. Finished weight of the four I sized and lubed will be about 186gr, no gas check. I’ll wait a bit to size/lube the rest.

Is anyone else using this boolit? And are there any quirks I need to know about?
I plan on loading them with either W296 or 2400.

[murf205]

Rick, post a pic of those boolits for us as it comes out of the mold. I think I need a heavy .358 for an upcoming project. I know al has a pic in the ad but real pics tell more,

[hades]

Rick, post a pic of those boolits for us as it comes out of the mold. I think I need a heavy .358 for an upcoming project. I know al has a pic in the ad but real pics tell more,

I bought this mold for a buddy's 357 max. I don't think he's worked with it at all yet... And I haven't taken the time to try it in my sp101 either.


But I do have a nice picture of the bullet!

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[Frank V]

I’ll bet that bullet will penetrate!

[Beerd]

I’ll bet that bullet will penetrate!

and knock 'em flat!
..

[Rick R]

Rick, post a pic of those boolits for us as it comes out of the mold. I think I need a heavy .358 for an upcoming project. I know al has a pic in the ad but real pics tell more,

Here you go. (L to R) NOE 158gr WFN, Hornady 158gr XTP, NOE 182gr WFN unsized, 182gr WFN nose and base, 182gr WFN sized .358”

314046




I’ll bet that bullet will penetrate!

That’s what I’m hoping.

[hc18flyer]

I use that mold in the gas check version for my .357 Maximum rifle. Accurate for me. Been wanting to tag a whitetail with it, but our population is way down, due to disease. Maybe next year? I also have the 160 wfn in pb, for my .38 Special. Really messes with the metal targets! hc18flyer

[murf205]

Thanks Rick. I'll bet that boolit in a 360 Buck Hammer or 35-30 or a Maximum would knock snot past the 3rd row of bleachers! hades, is that a hollow point?
The square bottom grooves and sexy driving bands have me going. I think Swede is about to get some of my rat hole $

[hades]

Thanks Rick. I'll bet that boolit in a 360 Buck Hammer or 35-30 or a Maximum would knock snot past the 3rd row of bleachers! hades, is that a hollow point?
The square bottom grooves and sexy driving bands have me going. I think Swede is about to get some of my rat hole $

Murf,
No, I just have the solid PB version.

Only regret is getting the 2 cavity but options were limited when I bought this and my buddy isn't a high volume shooter with his Blackhawk maximum so it works.

[murf205]

I am in the middle on the number of cavities. I like 3 cavity molds. My production rate goes up 50% over a 2 cav and the rejection rate is about zero when compared to a 4 or more cavity mold. I am envious of the casters that can get a 6 cavity to run efficiently but I might just be too picky about the end results. No matter as long as the user is happy.
Either way, NOS is out of 3 cav in that particular boolit so I guess I'll have to give Al a call and see if I can get him to run one up for me. I'll bet a game animal would have a hard time packing one of these boolits very far.

[Rick R]

I bought the four cavity mold and for me the reject rate was very low. I also have the four cavity 158gr WFN mold and it’s very picky about temperature to get the base band to fully fill out, the 182gr was just easy with that “thicc” base band. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten better groups with any bullet/boolit than with the 158gr WFN but I put about 10% back in the pot while casting them.

I went ahead and loaded 30 of the 182gr WFN using data from the Hodgdon manual for their 180XTP with Alliant 2400. I shot them off the bench today at 25 yards from my 4” GP100 and got the same size 2 1/2” group at the same point of impact as six factory Fiocchi 158gr XTP rounds I fired to check my shooting as I hadn’t shot that gun in a couple months. The 182gr had more recoil and definitely stirred the muddy backstop a bit more.

Cleanup was six brush strokes, a dry patch, a patch soaked in Hoppes (mainly for the aroma) and another dry patch.

[pworley1]

That looks like it should get the job done.